Gulfstream Aerospace, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), recently became the first Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to receive approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for all of its aircraft equipped with the Gulfstream Enhanced Vision System (EVS) to obtain operational credit for continuing approaches to 100 feet.

"As a result of the revised European Union Operations (EU-OPS) rules, all EVS-equipped Gulfstream aircraft will be able to proceed from Decision Height to a 100-foot altitude when using EVS for low-visibility approaches," said Pres Henne, senior vice president, Programs, Engineering and Test, Gulfstream. "We are extremely pleased that by working closely with EASA, we were able to make this significant safety enhancement available to our customers."

EU-OPS rule 1.430(h), the European equivalent of Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 91.175, requires pilots using instrument approach procedures be able to visually see the approach lights and runway environment from a predetermined distance in order to proceed with landing the aircraft. With EVS, that distance has been reduced to 100 feet, because the pilot can use the visual cues EVS supplies.

U.S. operators flying in and out of Europe can take immediate advantage of the EASA approval. European-based operators must still obtain operational approval from the authority or agency that is legally responsible for operational approvals in the country where each aircraft is registered.

Additionally, Gulfstream received validation from EASA to install the upgraded version of its Enhanced Vision System (EVS II) on any of its four in-production large-cabin Gulfstream aircraft models.

Commencing in the fourth quarter of this year, EVS II will be standard on new-production ultra-long-range G550 and long-range G450 business jets. It will be available as an option on the G500 and G350. EVS II is 22 pounds lighter, features four times the computational power and has four times the memory of its predecessor.

EVS II was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in late 2007. The original Gulfstream EVS was certified on Sept. 14, 2001. The Gulfstream EVS incorporates a specially designed forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera that projects an infrared real-world image on the pilot's Head-Up Display (HUD). On even the darkest nights, pilots using EVS can clearly see a mountain range, a runway or any aircraft or vehicles on taxiways.

Today, more than 400 Gulfstream aircraft operate with the Gulfstream EVS.